Shropshire Constructing Excellence Members
Paul Inions
McPhillips are an award winning Civil Engineering and Building Contractor that has built a strong reputation for... more
Alun Watts
Kier Group Plc is a leading UK building and civil engineering contractor also specialising in private house building,... more
John Turford
Salop Holdings is the parent of Simmonsigns Limited, a quality assured company backed by a combined experience and... more
Richard Lawrence
The Economic Development team provides a range of services to Shropshire's Business Community, working in partnership... more
Derek Sear
NISP is a FREE innovative business opportunity programme that delivers bottom line benefits for our members whilst... more
Norman Carter
• Highly bespoke access covers are our passion - we can meet any requirement or specification you may have through our... more
Damion Guest
Buildzest ltd is a construction consultancy offering construction solutions, including project management and technical... more
Yvonne Aust
Curtins are well known for our work as a structural and civil engineers, but we also work in related areas such as... more
Richard Bowler
The company was formed in 1981 to build quality housing and apartments in Shropshire. more
Mike J Jaehrig
Hanlo Ltd provides a "one-stop shop" turnkey solution for modern German, off-site manufactured, sustainable and... more
Daniel Nore
Components Co is one of the most innovative bespoke lighting design companies in the industry and also a prime supplier... more
Julian Kirkham
Ecostruct is a construction company working to promote the concepts of Sustainable Development and Environmental... more
Richard Jaboor
Richard qualified as an Architect in Edinburgh in the 1960`s, having completed a final year thesis in Conservation. He... more
Rob Andrews
Specialist commercial law firm, with particular experience in advising those in the construction industry, to include... more
Patricia Head
metnet (the Marches Environmental Technology Network) is dynamic regional network designed for businesses within the... more
Robert Csondor
RCA Regeneration is a consultancy practice operating across England and Wales.
We specialise in the provision of... more
John Sumner
Thomas Consulting was founded in Wellington, Shropshire in 1979, by core personnel from Telford Development... more
David Evans
Blockleys Brick Ltd was established in 1894 and became part of the Michelmersh group of companies in 2000. Producing... more
Jonathan Westwood
The Fletcher name has been associated with house building in Shropshire for over 70 years. Whilst traditionaly a... more
Linda James
People Solutions provides an independent training service to employers:
- identifying training and development... more
Mark Combes
Severn Partnership are Chartered Surveyors providing quality measurement data throughout many industry sectors across... more
Graham Burns
We are a design led, environmentally aware and value oriented architectural design practice determined to enjoyably... more
Gary Locke
Morgan Sindall plc is a UK construction, infrastructure and design business with a national network of local offices.... more
Peter Townend
Charcon ICF is part of Aggregate Industries UK Ltd a global distributer of aggregate supplies and distributes Quad-Lock... more
Neil Young
Creating Dimensions is an Innovation Aware Company
Where do you want to go?
We help you clarify an exciting vision... more
Peter Sims
7video is passionate in its approach to using the power of video as a means of communication and presentation. With... more
Corinne Brown
Shrewsbury College has been successfully working with construction employers for many years and has been recognised by... more
Les Swinton
At Arc-e-Tec we provide individual solutions to our clients, providing a range of services from Architectural drawings... more
Dale Kynaston
"“WHERE GREAT FUTURES BEGIN AND EVERY LEARNER MATTERS”
Telford College of Arts and Technology was established... more
Clive Roberts
We are a small but highly successful Town Planning Consultancy operating primarily in Shropshire, the West Midlands and... more
Imogen Sambrook
Albion Historic Environment provides advice and management for sites and features with archaeological or historic... more
Craig Henn
Towler Shaw Roberts LLP is a firm of Chartered Surveyors established in 1991 specialising in all types of commercial... more
Dawn Karakatsanis
Shropshire Construction Training Group is a 'not for profit' Independent Construction Training Group. Members represent... more
Matt Breakwell
We are a leading construction and building services company based in South Shropshire and operate throughout the... more
Ray Philpin
Building Components is the Business Development operation for companies with emerging technologies within the materials... more
Andrew Lane
AP Architecture Ltd are a Chartered RIBA and CIAT Practice of Architects and Architectural Technologists offering... more
Engineering Services
The Engineering Services Business unit is a fee earning in–house engineering consultancy currently comprising two... more
Jackie Horsewood
Wenlock Health and Safety undertakes all types of health and safety requirements including:-
- Health and safety... more
David James
Wardell Armstrong is a long established multidisciplinary consultancy with it's roots in mining and minerals. We advise... more
Julian Austin
Wrekin Electrical Services has a wealth of skills knowledge and experience which allows us to provide a full complement... more
Rob Orchard
Cyril Orchard Group provide Quantity Surveying and CDM Co-ordination services throughout the UK.We have offices in... more
Dennis Silverlock
Phoenix AV is an award winning, CHAS Accredited Total AV Solutions Provider.
We provide consultation services... more
Dave Kelly
G F Tomlinson provides the full range of building services including new build, refurbishment, restoration and building... more
Dave Jones
Jones and Hampton Ltd are one of a few building companies in the West Midlands who can offer their clients a total... more
Jean Teichmann
The Wrekin Housing Trust currently owns and manages over 11,000 homes and operates throughout Telford, Shropshire and... more
Nicola Meads
At Geosphere Land Surveys we provide services for:
- Private Clients : Residential Properties, Farm Land,... more
Carl Huntley
b a s e @rchitecture is committed to delivering quality design solutions on time and within budget on both commercial... more
John Matthews
SLR Consulting Limited has had a presence in Shrewsbury since 2003. The company has expanded rapidly and now employs... more
Alan Lyons
George Law Limited is a 130 year old construction company with its origins in civil engineering that now prides itself... more
Paul Mountain
Martineau is a major law firm with offices in Birmingham and London, offering a full range of commercial legal... more
Richard Collin
Kier Moss provides a comprehensive service for the design and construction of new buildings, refurbishment and fit-out... more
Christopher Pike
CPA offer engineering design services, consultancy and specialist advice in the field of Historic Environment... more
Leigh Holt
etc Design Limited's principle aim is to present creative design solutions to meet our Clients expectations on every... more
Steve Bramhill
Formed in 1995, Wintech Engineering Limited is an independent UKAS accredited testing laboratory based in the heart of... more
Kevin Arthur
Elements Europe is a member of the Pickstock Group of Companies, a Shropshire based organisation and offer a new... more
Wayne Morgan
Greensphere Renewable Energy Ltd (GRE), is a local company based in Oswestry, and operating throughout all of... more
Debbie Ward
BBLB architects LLP is a vibrant award-winning practice with a reputation for quality, responsiveness and design... more
Matthew Sarabadu
Our specialist team have an extensive track record in creating tailor-made systems to meet the most complex and... more
Andy Hughes
Interserve is one of the world’s foremost support services and construction companies, operating in the public and... more
Rob Sinfield
Our main activities include Construction, Building Maintenance and minor Civil Engineering Projects along with Grounds... more
Charlotte Cluderay
INSIGHT provides technical support to the construction and design professional. Specialised services have been... more
Kevin Slack
Eco-architecture practice based in Ellesmere, Shropshire, specialising in the retrofit of existing homes and businesses... more
Chandru Ray
The brand name ECOLEC® was launched in 1995 with the specific objective of supplying economic to run electric heaters... more
Garth Nethercot
Thomas Vale Construction has a tradition stretching back over 140 years and is a name with an outstanding pedigree in... more
Richard Doody
With over 20 years experience in the precast concrete industry Elite Precast Concrete is a rapidly expanding,... more
Andrew James
ESI is the UK’s leading independent scientific and environmental consultancy specialising in water resource management,... more
David English
English Construction is a Shrewsbury based company, involved in residential and commercial building work. We have... more
Nigel Clarke
In 1987 Graham Galliers founded Galliers Homes Limited, a specialist company with one aim - to build the best range of... more
Andrew Evans
Scott Wilson Group plc is a global integrated design and engineering consultancy for the built and natural... more
Graham Wolfenden
We provide prompt and professional consultancy across a wide range of civil and structrual engineering disciplines. Our... more
Jo Whitehouse
CWE was established in 1945 and is Wolverhamptons longest serving Electrical Contractors. We have a team of engineers... more
Gary Hadley
The West Midlands Centre for Constructing Excellence (WMCCE) is one of several Regional Centres in the UK that drive... more
What is Offsite?
“All those elements of construction that involve the pre-assembly of a number of construction components, which would otherwise be traditionally incorporated in the works as separate components.”
There are a number of abbreviations around the subject of Offsite:-
- OSC
- Offsite Construction
- OSM
- Offsite Manufacturing
- OSF
- Offsite Fabrication
- MMC
- Modern Methods of Construction
Offsite is a conveyor belt of systems, with new ones being added all the time, which become accepted as “traditional” as they are used more regularly. Examples of this would be roof trusses, door sets and fully finished windows.
Systems fall into the following categories:-
Volumetric Modular Construction
These are Volumetric modular units, which are transported to site as large building elements and then attached to an existing building linked together to form complete buildings.
Bathroom and Kitchen Pods
Fully finished rooms manufactured using concrete, steel and plasterboard, fibre-glass or a combination of these.
Light Steel Frame (LSF)
Structural panels assembled from cold-formed galvanised steel sections.
Timber Frame
Structural timber panels made up of timber studs and beams, stiffened on one side with oriented strand-board or plasterboard, which form the inner leaf of the cavity wall.
Structurally Insulated Panels (SIPS)
Structural sandwich panels comprising a core of insulation with plywood, strand-board or cement-bonded particleboard skins, bonded to form structural, load-bearing panels.
Insulated Concrete Formwork (ICF)
Hollow insulating elements similar to large Lego bricks, which act as permanent formwork and insulation. Concrete is then poured into the polystyrene framework.
Pre-cast Concrete
Structural frame using pre-cast concrete columns and beams, and/or panels. These may be factory finished internally or externally and may remain exposed in the final building.
SLIDE. Pre-engineered Mechanical & Electrical Services
Mechanical ducting or pipe-work systems combined with electrical service distribution. Preassembled plant rooms, integrated ductwork or pipe-work/ cables in a support tray.
Unitised (finished) Walling Systems
Diverse range of factory manufactured elements of external walling where the some or all of the assembly has been completed in a factory.
Pre-assembled Roofing Systems
Elements of the roof can be made in the factory and delivered to site to enable rapid installation of the roof structure complete with weather membrane and insulation.
Components
General term used loosely for individual items which are assembled together with other components where the finished assembly is defined as a whole.
Benefits
- Reduced construction time meaning early rental or sales income for the client
- Higher Quality Finish. Working in a clean dry environment is far more conducive to the production of quality than a traditional site
- Centralised control - buying from one source reduces time and effort
- Health & Safety – safer than working on a construction site
- Sustainability - factory manufacture is inherently less wasteful than traditional forms of construction, and is thus inherently more sustainable, but specifically:-
- Factory material waste is typically less than 1.5% compared with 10+% on a traditional construction site and the recycling of waste is far more reliably controlled in a factory environment than it is on site.
- Factory operatives are some 300% more efficient than the same activity carried out on site (government research)
- A study on a 2008 modular housing project revealed that there were 90% fewer vehicle deliveries than would be expected on a comparable traditional build.
- Government statistics show that the average distance a factory operative travels to work is 2 miles mostly using public transport. National average distance to work overall is 8.5 miles and this doesn’t take into account travelling to site as a specific.
- Less Risk, the weather and potential avoidance of cost increases
- Less Construction disruption. Work on site is safer, quieter and cleaner. Potentially up to 90% fewer vehicle movements on site which is important in residential areas, hospitals or schools
- Less demand on resources - on site for a shorter period and purchasing and invoicing are simpler.
- Potentially Less Design Time - modular buildings require fewer design resources, saving lead-in time and cutting costs for the contractor.
Disadvantages
Disadvantages of offsite, particularly if applied incorrectly or executed inappropriately include the following:
- Early decision making is required about the build method and the exact specification requirements.
- Greater level of coordination at the procurement stage is required to ensure that the offsite packages interface correctly with each other and with the traditional elements of build.
- When offsite does go wrong the consequences can be greater than with traditional construction which over the years has developed a million and one workarounds.
- Cost issues can be a red herring. One has to take account of all the benefits Offsite offers and not just the cost of the materials.
